Nissan has hit back at suspicions raised by Porsche this week that the record Nurburgring lap time set by the GT-R supercar was achieved in anything other than a standard showroom-specification car.
The matter has reached top brass at Nissan, with its European spokesman at the Paris motor show today confirming the matter has gone ”quite high” up in the company.
A senior Porsche engineer, August Achleitner, who supervises the development of all 911 sports cars, sparked controversy when he told Australian journalists at the launch of the new 911 Targa in Verona, Italy, this week that they were unable to replicate the record 7 minute 29 second lap time that Nissan claimed the GT-R set in April.
In the hands of a Porsche chassis engineer, the GT-R was 20 seconds slower than a 911 GT2 and 16 seconds slower than a Porsche 911 Turbo.
Achleitner questioned whether the GT-R was running a standard set-up on road tyres or perhaps something more track-oriented.
“Quite simply we’re not going to get into a war of words with Porsche,” said Nissan’s European spokesman Neil Reeve. “The final word from us is that it was done on absolutely standard tyres which are available to customers in the showroom.They’re not trick tyres – absolutely standard tyres, normal road tyres.
“The GT-R comes with Bridgestone and Goodyear (Dunlop). One tyre gives slightly better times around the ‘Ring.
“We did it on Dunlop. They’re available with the car,” he said.
He was at a loss to explain the disparity over the lap time differences.
“I don’t know, honestly I can’t explain. I don’t think it’s for us to explain how they didn’t match our time,” Mr Reeve said.
“We absolutely maintain (that) Tochio Suzuki – the chief test driver on the GT-R program pounded thousands of laps – he got to know every inch of Nurburgring (circuit) and how the car performs on the Nurburgring and hence set that fabulous lap. More than that, I can’t speculate. I can’t explain why they couldn’t match the time.”
“We maintain that … nothing special was done to the car.”
He conceded that the controversy might play on the minds of potential GT-R buyers. Fast lap times of the famous 21-kilometre German circuit are increasingly being used by car companies for bragging rights over performance and engineering prowess.
“The people who’d buy a GT-R or 911 Turbo are not the type of people to make a purchase like that lightly. They going to do an incredible amount of research, they’re going to read every single road test that’s available in every magazine which is on the internet and they’re going to draw their own conclusion. Will it put doubt in their mind? They might find it surprising. In our experience in Europe, the GT-R has widely matched, at least, if not beaten, the 911 Turbo on various track tests. They can draw their own conclusions.
“We think its performance speaks for itself,” he said.
Reeve wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a rematch for the world to see.
“We’re considering our options. We’re not saying more than that,” he said.
“This (Porsche’s questioning of Nissan’s claim) happened two days ago, it was a surprising thing to read in the press, it’s important.
“But let’s not blow it out of all proportion. We’re not crying about it. We’re not going to sook about it.
“I’m cheeky enough to say it’s flattering that Porsche have bought themselves a GT-R and flown it to Germany, they want to try it. I guess that’s some kind of stamp of approval.
“It’s great to have the competition. We’re absolutely proud of the GT-R. It’s a fabulous sports car, really epic.
“The level of performance that it delivers is really so impressive for the price it’s positioned at,” he said.
Article By: Andrew Heasley
